Network traffic (typically in the form of packets) is transmitted across a network, such as the Internet, from a sending system (e.g., a computer system) to a receiving system (e.g., a computer system) via a network interface card (NIC). The NIC is a piece of hardware found in a typical computer system that includes functionality to send and receive network traffic, typically in the form of packets. In addition, modern NICs may include multiple receive rings and transmit rings.
In order to send network traffic, a NIC must be provided with a sufficient amount of power. Such power may depend upon the amount of network traffic sent via the NIC.